London International Youth Science Forum 2013, Part Three

This is my last post on my experiences at the London International Youth Science Forum. In my previous blog entry, I wrote about the various aspects of LIYSF - the lectures, visits to scientific institutions, debates, student bazaar evening, and the museum tours (see my post titled "London International Youth Science Forum 2013, Part One"). However, there is one more highly significant part of the forum that I have not yet written much about.

You see, it was the participants that made LIYSF 2013 what it was. What else do you expect when you bring together some of the brightest students from all over the planet? For two weeks, we became an international community, an international family, as we journeyed together, "crossing science boundaries". Scratch that - we still remain an international family, a group of enthusiastic, committed students across the globe.

The forum had an amazing social aspect to it too. The social and cultural programme included dances, a cabaret, a "Traditions of Home" evening in which participants showcased traditional performances typical to their countries, and optional sightseeing tours in London. More than the events themselves, it was the opportunity to connect with people from various countries, religions, and cultures that made it so fascinating.
It was my favourite part of LIYSF.

I loved how each one of us was so diverse, and yet we were connected, united by our love for science and technology. My fellow participants at LIYSF remain some of the most brilliant, dedicated, interesting people I have ever encountered. What was probably most heartening was that there were no prejudices, no biases that separated us. Making a new acquaintance was as straightforward as walking up to someone and saying, "Hi. I'm xxx from xxxx." No one was shunned, no one was ridiculed. Everyone was accepted as part of this huge community, because everyone had an interesting story to tell, everyone had new experiences and opinions to share.

Whether it was on the Imperial College lawns on a sunny afternoon, or in the Common Rooms at 1 am, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting and networking with my peers and making new acquaintances, new friends. And I think that was exactly what LIYSF was about. The world needs international collaboration, and not just in the sciences. LIYSF brought together students from various countries and gave them the opportunity to form long-lasting networks. And network we did!

I believe that the entire experience at the London International Youth Science Forum 2013 is very accurately summed up in this short paragraph written by one of the participants, who over the course of 2 weeks became my closest friend:
"When you try to describe what made an event special, you are often trying to explain what it meant to you. So, what did LIYSF mean to me? The answer is not just a word or a sentence. It is multifarious. It's a feeling. The feeling that I got the chance to experience something unique, with people around me who felt exactly the same. LIYSF was culture. What else could it have been when people from 60 countries came together? LIYSF was knowledge. It was impossible not to learn anything, listening to captivating lectures about interdisciplinary science. LIYSF was excitement. Every day was an adventure because no two days were the same. LIYSF was courage. I crossed a personal boundary when I presented my own scientific work in front of the whole forum. And LIYSF was friendship. Making friends with amazing people all around the globe broke down the frontiers in my head. Countries that were far away once are now the homelands of my friends. The forum gave nations a face and made me see the world in a whole new way. LIYSF was life-changing for me, I never felt so amazed about being linked to science."

Before 24th July, I had no idea of the impact that the forum would have on me. I returned from London a completely transformed individual, with a whole new outlook on life. After 7th August, I knew I had undergone a wonderful experience and that my life would never be the same.

At NCL (National Chemical Laboratory)

Nestled among the hills, in a peaceful area of the Western Indian city of Pune, lies the National Chemical Laboratory, India's foremost center for research in chemistry and materials science. As an integral member of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and with over 190 senior scientists, NCL is a place steeped in the scientific culture of India. And it is there, in one of India's leading research institutions, that I am working on a research project over this summer, in the heart of my gap year.

Actually, I am currently carrying out my work in the NCL Innovation Park. It is the section of NCL dedicated to (as the name suggests) innovation. Within the Innovation Park is the Venture Center, a not-for-profit organisation dedication to entrepreneurship development and incubation. It provides startups with seed funding, management know-how and lab space to develop their technology. Additionally, experts at Venture Center provide counseling sessions and conduct workshops on technology management and patenting, for fledgling entrepreneurs who are just taking off into the world of technology, business and development.

This trend of tech-incubation is still relatively new in India. Very often it happens that young innovators with brilliant ideas and capabilities get their dreams crushed because of lack of funding, or because they don't know how to play the market well. This was the very problem that Venture Center was created to tackle. Its founder (who, incidentally, is also my research supervisor) aims to create an environment where the path from science to an implementable technology is not ridden with insurmountable obstacles. The center boasts of a library dedicated to entrepreneurship, technology management and patent law, a lab block with state-of-the-art instrumentation that can be rented out, and an enormous POC (proof-of-concept) center where ideas can come to life. All in all, it's the innovator's paradise, and I love it here.

A little bit about my research: I had read about a team of scientists at Rice University who claimed to have come up with a novel technology for super-efficient steam generation using just solar energy. It involved focusing sunlight onto a solution of broadly-absorbing nanoparticles to create steam instantaneously with a very high conversion efficiency. Realising the enormous potential of such a solar-driven technology in a country like India, I approached my would-be advisor here at NCL with my ideas on the topic. He agreed to mentor me and allow me to use the facilities at NCL - so, over this summer, I am conducting research into this phenomenon, looking at ways to improve and optimise it, and working on various applications.

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My (aforementioned) advisor is a remarkable man, with a brilliant mind. He is highly logical, deeply insightful and extremely practical. Along with his research in polymers, he also finds the time to manage and run Venture Center, hold meetings with potential clients, guide interns and co-workers and spend time with his family! (Phew!) He embodies the very mission that the NCL Innovation Park stands for. His enthusiasm and drive are quite infectious, and I'm quite glad that I got this opportunity to work with him.

The work that I'm currently doing at NCL (more about that in the next post) requires me to collaborate with 3 other scientists (experts in multiphase systems, nanotechnology and photonics), since I am not an accomplished scientist in any of these fields. I eagerly look forward to my discussions with them, for how often does one get to interact with 3 excellent scientists? Their inputs and advice have been invaluable, and have definitely spurred me along in my research. What I found most amazing is that none of them have doubted my capabilities! None of them looked down upon me as an inferior being because I've just finished high school! They take complete interest in my work and are always ready to add their suggestions and insights. This attitude of theirs has taught me an important lesson: everyone has their own strengths and qualities, and that one should always take someone seriously when approached - not brush them aside just because they might be "under-qualified"! Each individual that I have collaborated with so far has been extremely helpful, and that is a quality I look to cultivate in myself.

Besides my research, the highlights of my stay here at NCL are definitely the talks and seminars that I get to attend. Since these talks by visiting scientists are not open to the general public, I'm literally seizing every opportunity that I get to attend them! These lectures are my window into scientific research as it is carried out in the real world, and interacting with various scientists and students during the seminars is a great way to network with new people (something that my stint at NCL has taught me the value of).

NCL and the Innovation Park are excellent institutions, very conducive to creativity and inspiring thought. Even the location and ambiance are perfect - there is something about looking out the window and gazing upon dense foliage or a flock of Lapwings that agrees with me. I seem to have entered one of the most productive periods of my 17-year existence, and I am enjoying every femtosecond of it! Despite being the only 17 - year old on campus (the other interns are all graduates), I don't feel out of place here. Be it working on my research project, interacting with my supervisors or discussing the latest advancements in science with the other interns, I have only experience to gain and ideas to get exposed to.

My complaining stomach is reminding me that I haven't eaten in 6 hours, and that dinner is due. But before I sign off, I would like to mention that my next blog entry is going to be about my project, and the work that I am doing here at NCL.

Until next time.